Christians with chronic complex trauma and relationally focused spiritual difficulties: a conversational model perspective

This single-case study explored associations between relational trauma experienced during childhood and relationally focused spiritual difficulties encountered during adulthood. Fifteen initial therapy transcripts of a 57-year-old female Christian with complex trauma were analyzed. Relational experiences included: (a) “eating their young” (early developmental context); (b) “broken-winged chick” (sense of self); (c) “wounded sparrow” (self in relation to God); (d) “faltering in flight” (relationship with God); and (e) “at the fringe of the flock” (relationship with Christian community). Childhood relational trauma was far reaching in its long-term psycho-spiritual effects, adversely impacting sense of personhood, relational capacity, reflective functioning, and broader coping.